Hong Kong police fire tear gas as protests descend into chaos

Credit: Reuters - Politics

Published on July 21, 2019 - Duration: 01:26s

Hong Kong police fire tear gas as protests descend into chaos

Hong Kong police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in chaotic scenes late on Sunday as anger over an extradition bill morphs into a fresh front against what many see as a broader erosion of freedoms by the city's political masters in Beijing.

Edward Baran reports.

Hong Kong police fire tear gas as protests descend into chaos

Chaos - yet again - on the streets of Hong Kong.

Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters late on Sunday (July 21) As anger over an extradition bill turned into a fresh front against what many see as a broader erosion of freedoms by Beijing.

Thousands descended on China's representative office here - a direct challenge to the authorities and the city's political masters in the Chinese capital.

Millions have taken to the streets in the past two months - An unprecedented show of force against Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam It's triggered the worst social turmoil to rock the former British colony since it returned to Chinese rule 22 years ago.

Some protesters threw paint bombs at the walls of the Liaison Office.

Others spray-painted graffiti in the latest wave of demonstrations to hit the Asian financial centre.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) MASKED PROTESTER SPEAKING OUTSIDE THE LIAISON OFFICE, SAYING "We urge the government to stop leading Hong Kong towards the brink of destruction," Sunday's march focused on calls for the full withdrawal of the extradition bill, which would allow people to be extradited to mainland China for trial.

And an independent investigation into complaints of police brutality.

This protest is just the latest in a series of rallies that have plunged the Chinese-ruled city into political crisis.